Michael Raynes will come back into Oxford United’s starting line-up at Exeter City in Sky Bet League Two tonight after Jake Wright was ruled out for at least a month.
The U’s skipper sustained a deep gash to his knee making a goal-saving clearance late on in Saturday’s 1-0 win over Torquay United.
Wright was taken to hospital and while X-rays showed there was no break, the wound will take several weeks to heal.
Raynes was dropped on Saturday as Johnny Mullins reverted to centre back after a run of games in midfield, but comes straight back in tonight.
- Highlights of the previous meeting
United have yet to concede a league goal in 2014, and while full back David Hunt admitted losing Wright was a blow, in Raynes they have a ready-made replacement.
He said: “We’re gutted with that really, Jake’s a big loss because he’s a great character on and off the pitch.
“But we’ve got a great squad, everyone has been tested and Raynesey has done so well when he’s been in the team.”
Dave Kitson (ankle) remains sidelined, but otherwise the U’s have no new injury concerns.
Exeter were in the top three when they shared a goalless draw at the Kassam Stadium in October, but it began a run of 14 games where they have collected just nine points.
Manager Paul Tisdale is likely to be without midfielder Matt Grimes, who came off with an ankle injury in Saturday’s 2-1 defeat at AFC Wimbledon.
TONIGHT’S SQUADS
Exeter City: from Krysiak, Butterfield, Bennett, Coles, Moore-Taylor, Davies, Wheeler, Gow, Gill, Nicholls, Keohane, Pym, Woodman, Baldwin, Gosling, O’Flynn, Parkin, Sercombe.
Oxford Utd: from Clarke, Hunt, Raynes, Mullins, Newey, Williams, Wroe, Rose, Rigg, Constable, Smalley, Marsh, O’Dowda, Ruffels, Davies, Long, Bevans, Henly.
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